These are the perfect sweet treats for someone you love. They’re delicious–and only look deceptively difficult to make! Whipping these up is actually easy as pie…or should we say easy as cupcake?
I made these cupcakes specifically to celebrate the sweetest holiday, about love and appreciation of the people who make your life wonderful. It’s a lot of fun to make your own custom message for your loved ones. They’ll love it, because it’s from your heart to theirs. Happy Valentine’s Day!
XOXO,
Lauren
INGREDIENTS
For the cupcakes
- 2 cups flour
- 1 ¼ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- 1 cup hot water
- 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
- ¾ cup safflower oil (sunflower works too)
- 1 ½ cups white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the frosting
- 1 lb cream cheese
- ¼ cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
- 2 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 10 oz halved strawberries
- 1/3 of the zest of one orange
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
For the topping
- Red sanding sugar
- 16 oz semisweet chocolate chips
- 2 tbsp butter
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Mix the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder with a fork in a medium-sized bowl. In a small bowl, mix the hot water and cocoa also with a fork (a different one!).
For 30 seconds, beat the shortening with an electric mixer, or by hand if you’re strong. Add the sugar slowly, ¼ cup at a time. Beat for 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating in between. On low speed, add the flour mixture, 1/3 of it at a time. Then add the cocoa water, half of it at a time.
Spray muffin pans with canola oil spray or butter them lightly. Put in paper liners. Pour batter in, filling up half of liner. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Let cool completely–or the frosting will melt!
On a double boiler, melt the chocolate and butter together. Keep stirring so it doesn’t burn and seize. Warning: The mixture will melt quickly. Pour all the chocolate into a bowl and wait for it to cool to room temperature.
Put the strawberries, water, sugar, and zest into a small pot. Turn on medium heat and boil. Turn the heat down to low and let simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Set up a fine sieve over a bowl. Pour the strawberry mixture into the sieve and push down on the strawberries with a spoon to get all the juice out. Throw out the strawberries and chill the juice.
If you have piping bags, pour the mixture into on. Or, to make an improvised bag, fold over the sides of a ziploc bag. Pour all the chocolate into the ziploc bag. Fold the sides back up and seal, making sure to get all air out. Push all the chocolate into one corner of the bag and snip the corner.
Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and pipe messages like “XO” and “LOVE” onto the foil. Place the baking sheet in the freezer.
Frost the cupcakes when they are cool and dust with red sanding sugar. When the chocolate messages are hard, place gently on top. Voilà!
